The SAGE Framework
Key Concepts
SAGE - A four-stage loop for systematic AEO improvement. Not a one-time checklist but a recurring workflow you run to stay oriented as answer engines evolve.
"What time is it?" - The diagnostic question that determines which SAGE stage to focus on. Match your current situation to the stage, then execute.
Quick Reference
The Four Stages and Their Outputs
Setup - Decide what you're tracking and why
- Output: A baseline you trust
Analyze - Define where you're winning and losing
- Output: A gap list you believe
Generate - Turn gaps into shipped work
- Output: Content that addresses gaps
Engineer - Make what worked repeatable
- Output: A system that compounds
Diagnostic: Which Stage Are You In?
"We don't know what to track yet" - Setup time
"We're not sure what's missing or why we're losing" - Analyze time
"We know the gap but nothing is shipping" - Generate time
"It's working but it's manual every time" - Engineer time
Stage Actions in Profound
Setup
- Set your topic
- Validate prompts with volume data
- Identify personas from volume patterns
- Add competitors
- Tag and organize prompts for scale
Analyze
- Find where you're losing to competitors
- Build content portfolio from citation data
- Review cross-platform sentiment and citation shifts
- Read how models frame your brand
- Diagnose visibility drops
Generate
- Prioritize highest-leverage fixes
- Optimize pages that should be winning
- Create new pages for obvious gaps
- Measure whether changes worked
Engineer
- Build weekly workflows
- Set up automated alerts for drops
- Create Slack notifications for new prompt opportunities
- Develop reusable briefs and playbooks
